Linear compressor

Abstract

Provided is a linear compressor. The linear compressor includes a piston, a cylinder, and a bearing inflow passage. The bearing inflow passage includes a first bearing inflow passage extending inward from an outer circumferential surface of the cylinder in the radial direction and a second bearing inflow passage extending from the first bearing inflow passage to an inner circumferential surface of the cylinder. The second bearing inflow passage extends from the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder in a circumferential direction.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A linear compressor comprising:
 a cylinder that extends in an axial direction; 
 a piston received in the cylinder and configured to reciprocate relative to the cylinder along the axial direction; and 
 a bearing inflow passage that penetrates the cylinder and that is configured to supply refrigerant to the piston, the bearing inflow passage comprising a front bearing inflow passage and a rear bearing inflow passage that are spaced apart from each other in the axial direction, 
 wherein each of the front bearing inflow passage and the rear bearing inflow passage comprises a plurality of arc bearing inflow passages that are spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction of the cylinder, 
 wherein an arc bearing inflow passage among the plurality of arc bearing inflow passages extends from a portion of an inner circumferential surface of the cylinder along the circumferential direction in both sides with respect to a center of the arc bearing inflow passage, and 
 wherein a cross-sectional area of the arc bearing inflow passage decreases along the circumferential direction as the arc bearing inflow passage extends away from the center of the arc bearing inflow passage. 
 
     
     
       2. The linear compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the front bearing inflow passage and the rear bearing inflow passage comprises:
 a first bearing inflow passage that extends radially inward from an outer circumferential surface of the cylinder; and 
 a second bearing inflow passage that extends radially inward from the first bearing inflow passage to the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder, and 
 wherein the second bearing inflow passage includes the plurality of arc bearing inflow passages. 
 
     
     
       3. The linear compressor according to  claim 2 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the first bearing inflow passage is less than a cross-sectional area of the second bearing inflow passage. 
     
     
       4. The linear compressor according to  claim 2 , wherein the second bearing inflow passage is recessed radially outward from the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder. 
     
     
       5. The linear compressor according to  claim 2 , wherein the second bearing inflow passage extends along at least a portion of the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder. 
     
     
       6. The linear compressor according to  claim 2 , wherein each of the front bearing inflow passage and the rear bearing inflow passage further comprises:
 a third bearing inflow passage that extends from the second bearing inflow passage in the axial direction along the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder. 
 
     
     
       7. The linear compressor according to  claim 6 , wherein the second bearing inflow passage and the third bearing inflow passage are recessed radially outward from the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder. 
     
     
       8. The linear compressor according to  claim 6 , wherein the second bearing inflow passage and the third bearing inflow passage are connected to each other at an inner end of the first bearing inflow passage. 
     
     
       9. The linear compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the front bearing inflow passage and the rear bearing inflow passage comprises a pocket that is recessed radially outward from the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder. 
     
     
       10. The linear compressor according to  claim 9 , wherein the pocket comprises:
 a curve pocket that extends in the circumferential direction, the curve pocket including the plurality of arc bearing inflow passages; and 
 a linear pocket that extends in the axial direction. 
 
     
     
       11. The linear compressor according to  claim 10 , wherein each of the front bearing inflow passage and the rear bearing inflow passage further comprises an orifice that extends radially outward from the pocket to an outer circumferential surface of the cylinder. 
     
     
       12. The linear compressor according to  claim 11 , wherein the curve pocket extends from the orifice in a first direction along the circumferential direction and in a second direction opposite to the first direction. 
     
     
       13. The linear compressor according to  claim 12 , wherein a recess depth of the curve pocket with respect to the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder decreases as the curve pocket extends from the orifice in both of the first direction and the second direction. 
     
     
       14. The linear compressor according to  claim 12 , wherein the curve pocket maintains a recess depth with respect to the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder as the curve pocket extends from the orifice in both of the first direction and the second direction. 
     
     
       15. The linear compressor according to  claim 2 , wherein the bearing inflow passage further comprises a filter installation groove that is recessed radially inward from the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder and that extends in the circumferential direction of the cylinder. 
     
     
       16. The linear compressor according to  claim 15 , wherein the first bearing inflow passage has an outer end connected to the filter installation groove and an inner end connected to the second bearing inflow passage. 
     
     
       17. The linear compressor according to  claim 15 , further comprising a bearing filter that is accommodated in the filter installation groove and that is configured to filter foreign substances from refrigerant and supply filtered refrigerant to the first bearing inflow passage. 
     
     
       18. The linear compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of arc bearing inflow passages comprise:
 a plurality of front arc bearing passages that are defined at a first plane orthogonal to the axial direction, that are recessed radially outward from the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder, and that are spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the cylinder; and 
 a plurality of rear arc bearing passages that are defined at a second plane orthogonal to the axial direction, that are recessed radially outward from the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder, and that are spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the cylinder. 
 
     
     
       19. The linear compressor according to  claim 18 , wherein the front bearing inflow passage comprises a first linear pocket that is recessed from the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder and that extends in the axial direction from each of the plurality of front arc bearing passages toward the rear bearing inflow passage; and
 wherein the rear bearing inflow passage comprises a second linear pocket that is recessed from the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder and that extends from each of the plurality of rear arc bearing passages toward the first linear pocket. 
 
     
     
       20. A linear compressor comprising:
 a cylinder that extends in an axial direction; 
 a piston received in the cylinder and configured to reciprocate relative to the cylinder along the axial direction; and 
 a bearing inflow passage that penetrates the cylinder and that is configured to supply refrigerant to the piston, the bearing inflow passage comprising a front bearing inflow passage and a rear bearing inflow passage that are spaced apart from each other in the axial direction, 
 wherein each of the front bearing inflow passage and the rear bearing inflow passage comprises a plurality of arc bearing inflow passages that are spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction of the cylinder, and 
 wherein a circumferential length of each of the plurality of arc bearing inflow passages is greater than a width of each of the plurality of arc bearing inflow passages in the axial direction.